The Captain and the Kitsune
by swiftasanarrow
Summary: It was the tradition that a young man be bestowed gifts when he came of age at nineteen. It was no different in the court of King Munakata Reisi.
1. Chapter 1

It was the tradition that a young man be bestowed gifts when he came of age at nineteen. It was no different in the court of King Munakata Reisi. Today, it was Fushimi Saruhiko whose coming of age was to be celebrated. The Captain of the Guard could not have been more impassive about the celebrations.

Well known for his lethargic attitude and his apparent dislike of everything that did not involve sleeping, Captain Fushimi was an excellent and efficient commander once he got down to work. Cold, calculating and cynical, the only people he seemed to talk to were the King himself and Kusanagi Izumo, a tavern owner.

It was not much of a surprise that he was called away from the festivities held in his honour that night to receive a special gift from the King. Of course, he grumbled under his breath about having to follow the King to one of the back entrances to the palace to receive his gift. They soon arrived and were greeted by a man unfamiliar to Saruhiko.

"This is Chae. He is the one who has graciously helped me to find your gift."

Saruhiko gave the man a once-over and nodded curtly. He then noticed a smaller figure in the shadows.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing to the figure.

With a clatter and the clanking of chains, the figure was thrust forward into the light and fell onto its knees. The figure was a small boy with reddish-brown who, upon closer inspection, had a fox's ears and tail.

"A kitsune," Chae proclaimed. "You might think that it is rare that you'd find one chained up and sold as a slave, but they're more common than you think. Catch a litter, train them from young and they make excellent slaves. He will follow your every order without complaint and he is bound to silence. Never allow him to speak to you; his kind are cunning tricksters and he will use his words to poison your mind and influence you to set him free. Now hold out your hand, and I will give you control over him."

Saruhiko did as he was told and watched in silent awe as the slaver placed what looked like a star brought down from the sky in his palm, folding his fingers over it to form a fist. When Saruhiko opened his fist, the star was gone.

"You now have complete control over him."

Saruhiko nodded and looked down at the rag-clad boy. "Does he have a name?"

Chae opened his mouth to answer, but he was beaten to it.

"Yatagarasu," came a whisper from the boy.

The slaver immediately raised a hand to strike the boy, but was stopped by the King, who was watching the exchange.

"That is enough. He now belongs to Captain Fushimi and the Captain is perfectly capable of disciplining his own slaves."

Saruhiko nodded as Chae dropped his hand. He held out a hand to the boy.

"Come, Yatagarasu. I will show you where you may sleep."

Tentatively, the boy took the proffered hand and allowed Saruhiko to lead him to his quarters.

* * *

Back in his own quarters, Saruhiko conducted his own appraisal of Yatagarasu. The boy was thin, far too thin, and his body showed signs of abuse. Saruhiko sighed; it was going to be a while before the kid adjusted to his new surroundings and stopped trembling like a leaf. Leaving the boy standing in the centre of the room, he strode to his wardrobe and pulled out a towel and some of his old casual clothes that he hadn't worn in years. Despite all the stories about him being a cold-hearted, sadistic bastard, he didn't believe in mistreating someone, human or not.

"Here, kid. The bath is down the corridor. Have a nice soak and wash up properly. And I'm probably going to call you Yata for now. Yatagarasu is just too long. You're supposed to be my slave, but I see no point in mistreating you just because your status is lower than mine."

With that, Saruhiko turned away from Yata, only to whip his head around again the moment he heard the clanking of chains.

"Tch, that won't do. I can't have you walking around in chains. You'd irritate me to no end."

Saruhiko bent down to inspect the chains around Yata's ankles. Clicking his tongue again, he stood up to retrieve a few pins from his writing desk. Efficiently, he picked the locks on the chains, freeing Yata's ankles before taking the towel and clothes from him to remove the chains on his wrists. A mildly satisfied look spread itself across his face as Yata began to flex joints he probably hadn't been able to for months.

"Go and bathe, kid." Saruhiko, not unkindly, held out the towel and clothes to Yata again.

Flashing him a grateful look, Yata took the bundle and made his way to the bath. Saruhiko removed his heavy blue coat and hung it over the back of the chair at his desk. He retrieved a loose tunic and pants to wear to sleep later. For now, he'd wait till Yata was properly settled in the small room he had in his quarters for a servant. Considering it was the onset of winter, he'd need thick blankets and warm clothing. Saruhiko sighed. He'd lend Yata some clothes for the time being, and a fleece for him to use as a blanket. He rummaged further in the piles of clothes he couldn't be bothered to fold for something that wasn't too big for the kid.

Just as Saruhiko managed to extract some of his old clothes, there was a knock at the door and Yata peeked around the crack he made when he opened the door. He was wearing Saruhiko's old clothes which were too big for him, making him look even more vulnerable. Saruhiko barely suppressed the urge to walk over and ruffle his hair, opting instead to motion for Yata to come in.

"It's getting cold, so I'll be lending you some of my old clothes until I can get someone to get you fitted for some new ones. I've got a fleece you can use for a blanket until I have one brought in for your room." He motioned for Yata to hold out his arms for the bundles of clothes and the fleece. "Follow me."

Taking two candles from his room, he led Yata to the small room at the end of the corridor.

"This is your new room. You can have access to all the rooms in my house, just try not to mess up anything. If you need anything, just find me and ask me." Saruhiko paused and his brows furrowed slightly. "If I give you permission to speak, you should be able to speak, right?"

Yata nodded.

"Very well. You have permission to speak to me in private. Just don't try anything funny like trying to trick me with words. I've become rather adept at figuring out who's lying to me and who's not."

"Yes, Master." Yata bowed his head.

"Tch, don't call me Master. It makes me feel old. I guess you can call me Fushimi or Captain, whichever you feel comfortable with."

"Fushimi…" Yata whispered almost to himself, testing the name and how it felt rolling off his tongue. He hadn't been allowed to speak for at least a year, and speech felt unfamiliar to him. He turned his liquid amber gaze to Saruhiko. "Thank you."

Saruhiko gave a small smile. "Don't thank me, thank the King. He's the one who gave you to me."

With that, they put the clothes into the small cupboard the room held and Saruhiko tucked Yata into bed. He blew out one of the candles, leaving it on Yata's bedside along with a small box of matches for him to use in future. He'd have to restock his candles soon; they were running out, thanks to his slightly nocturnal preferences.

As he walked back to his room, his thoughts were filled with questions about Yata. How old was he? Surely he couldn't be that much younger than Saruhiko himself, if his appearance was anything to go by. His scratches and bruises needed to be treated too. What exactly had happened to him? Saruhiko sighed. He'd get some salve from the apothecary for that. And that kid needed to put on some healthy weight. Right now, he was all skin and bone and Saruhiko's clothes hung loosely off his frame. The Captain sighed as he pulled the covers up over himself. He'd think more about this tomorrow. And maybe he'd make a list of things to do regarding Yata. Maybe he'd eventually train the kid to be a groom or something.

But, for now, sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

_Amber._ Blink. _Hmm… there's a draught._ Blink. _Wait, what?_

It took a while for Saruhiko to register that Yata's face was hovering above his. Of course, in keeping with typical Saruhiko behaviour, he pulled his covers above his head and groaned.

"Five more minutes and I promise I'll be up!" Saruhiko's muffled voice came from under the thick winter blankets.

Yata flicked his ears and examined the thin lump under the covers. His eyes darted around the room, picking out details and he began to put together a rough picture of his master's life. He definitely fell into the 'lazy' category. The few things he kept on the writing desk in his bedroom gave a foretaste of what his study was like. Yata's eyes fell on a sketch that was neatly framed at one corner of the desk. It depicted a much younger Saruhiko glaring at a laughing boy who, upon further inspection was the teenage King. His eyes jumped to the simple rapier leaning against the chair, to the much more decorative sabre in its case next to the desk, to the knives on the desk. He whipped his head back to face Saruhiko as the lump next to him stirred.

"Glasses. Where are my glasses?" Saruhiko muttered. He hated being short-sighted. He found his glasses and put them on to see Yata once again staring at the numerous blades he owned. "Yeah, I do swordsmanship and knife throwing. Comes in handy if you're commanding the Royal Guard as well as having a pretty big say in the army. I could probably teach you how to maintain a sword, then you could help me with that. It does get irritating, having to sharpen your blade after every time you use it."

Saruhiko stretched and reluctantly left the warmth of his bed. His usual morning routine of rummaging for a clean, relatively uncrumpled shirt, a vest and his pants was being watched intently by the still-silent Yata.

"Wouldn't it be much easier for you if you folded everything?" queried Yata as Saruhiko threw his clothes over his shoulder onto the bed.

"Ah, so you do have a tongue. And, pray tell, why would I do such a thing?" He continued digging through his clothes for something he had a feeling Yata might need. Picking out a particular article of clothing, he straightened and walked back to his bed.

"Try folding your ears flat against your head."

Yata did as he was told and Saruhiko gently put the woollen beanie he was holding over his head. "I don't want you to freeze your ears off. It's getting pretty cold out."

Yata met Saruhiko's cold azure eyes. They were devoid of any warmth, any feeling at all; as if he were impassive about the world. Yata himself, before he was beaten down and made to be the underdog, was always bursting at the seams with emotions he couldn't control. He took a moment to consider the irony of the colour of Saruhiko's eyes before asking him what they'd be doing that day.

"Hmm… I have to meet the King and pick up some stuff. And it'd be good if we could drop by the tailor and get some of my old clothes altered to fit you or get you measured for new clothes." Saruhiko looked thoughtful for a moment. "Wait here."

After Saruhiko left the room, Yata reached up to adjust the beanie. He'd never had anyone care about his well-being before. Saruhiko had to be the first Master he didn't want to run away from right from the start. He wondered about Saruhiko's life. He was definitely influential, being a childhood friend of the King and Captain of the Guard. He hadn't seen any other servants about and the house was quiet. So that probably meant that Saruhiko lived alone. He looked young. Disorganised, but there seemed to be an order that only he could see in his life. A living paradox.

The door opened and Saruhiko called for Yata to follow him. He was given a saddlebag and led to the stable.

"This is Ryuu." Saruhiko reached out to stroke the muzzle of his jet black stallion. "I've had him since he was a colt. Reisi wanted me to name him something else. Said naming a horse 'dragon' was one of the stupidest things I've done. I'll teach you how to saddle him and next time, you can do it for me."

Yata watched attentively as Saruhiko showed him how to brush Ryuu's back before saddling him and how to check for any wrinkles in his skin to make sure he was comfortable at all times. He helped Saruhiko load up the saddlebags and bridle Ryuu. Now came the part Yata was not looking forward to: mounting the horse. From his height, it seemed impossible. Of course, that was discounting the fact that he had reservations when it came to horses. Since he'd nearly been trampled by one when he was much younger, he'd started avoiding anything of equine nature.

Saruhiko knelt down beside Ryuu and cupped his hands. "I'll give you a boost. Hold the reins and put your left foot on my hands. When I lift you up, swing your right foot over Ryuu's back. Do try not to kick him. Don't put your feet in the stirrups. I'll need them to get on."

Yata suppressed a tremor and did as he was told. He could feel the alien solidness of the horse beneath him and it was strange, yet not unwelcome. He glanced at Saruhiko as he felt a hand beside his on the reins. Saruhiko mounted the horse smoothly behind Yata.

"Hey, kid, loosen up a bit. It's going to hurt if you want to ride sitting that stiffly."

Yata noticed for the first time since getting on exactly how stiff he had been. He was sitting ramrod straight. He relaxed slightly, shifting to get his tail into a more comfortable position. Saruhiko's chest was warm as Yata relaxed enough to accommodate the contours of Ryuu's flanks and back, leaning back slightly. If he wasn't wearing the beanie, he was sure he'd be able to feel Saruhiko's warm breath against his ears.

"You ready to go, kid?" Saruhiko breathed into Yata's ear.

"Yes," Yata replied somewhat shakily.

"Don't worry. Riding's quite enjoyable once you get used to it. Back before Reisi was King, we went riding all the time. Oh, and you'll have to be bound to silence and all that when we're with people. We'll be taking what I like to call the back route to Reisi's quarters. It bypasses the town and it's less of a hassle to take this route."

They set off at a slow trot to allow Yata to get used to Ryuu's movements. After a while, Saruhiko asked if they could go faster, to which Yata nodded. Saruhiko urged Ryuu into a canter down a forest trail. When Yata looked up, he could see the palace.

"I didn't know you lived so far away from the palace. It didn't seem that far when you brought me back last night."

"Well, we were in a carriage. And it was night, makes the journey seem different. Anyway, I prefer the quiet. I don't like the stares I get when I'm in town. Guess it's just who I am."

Yata nodded. "What do you need to see the King for?"

"Hmm? I promised I'd tell him how you were settling down. After all, he was the one who bought you, and a King should take care of all his subjects."

Yata noted that they were slowing down and they eventually stopped at what appeared to be a pile of stones.

"We're here," Saruhiko announced and Yata barely contained a gasp as a door swung out of the stones and the King emerged. He felt movement behind him and when he turned his head, he noted that Saruhiko had dismounted and was talking to the King.

"I see you've given him your old clothes. That green tunic seems to suit him better than it did you."

Saruhiko rolled his eyes at his longtime friend and King. "I couldn't let him freeze. I know better than anyone else what it's like to be a freezing kid on the streets." He glanced in Yata's direction. "He seems smart enough though. I could probably use his help quite a bit around the house. Do you think we should take the slaver seriously about binding him to silence? He seems subdued enough."

"Hmm… kitsune are known to be tricksters with the tongues of snakes. I'd be wary of him no matter how subdued he seems," Reisi said thoughtfully.

"Growing up with you, I don't think I have to be that wary at all. You speak in riddles that no one understands!"

"Well, you never were one to mince words, Saruhiko. Go, I must get back to my chambers or else everyone will wonder where I've gone and send out a search party."

Saruhiko shook his head. "More like you want to get back to your puzzles." He didn't argue as he remounted Ryuu. "Go, idiot. I have to take Yata into town to get some stuff done." Yata thought he heard a slight undertone of endearment in Saruhiko's voice. Despite what Yata had come to see as his usual sardonic tone, he was capable of showing some degree emotion.

Saruhiko flicked the reins and they were off. As they crested a small hillock, Yata could see the town.

"Thought I'd take you on the route with a view," Saruhiko said. "This here's the heart of the Kingdom. From here, you can kind of make out the left sector where the Lords live. Further to the left is my house. It's somewhere more remote. I actually had it rebuilt from an old ruin so that I would have a place to live. The palace can get noisy at times."

"You lived in the palace? And what was that you said about knowing what it's like to be freezing on the streets?" Yata turned his head around as far as it would go to look at Saruhiko.

"I lived on the streets for two years. My family died when I was four. Reisi's father was doing the usual royal visit to the town and I got caught up in the crowd who went to see him. Someone pushed me and I nearly got trampled by his horse. I guess he took pity on me and he brought me back to be Reisi's playmate."

"So, he saved you. Sounds like he must have been your hero."

"Tch, heroes sure are convenient to have around but no matter how long you wait for them, they'll never show up in real life. You have no choice but to make your own way somehow by your own power." Saruhiko's voice took on a bitter tone.

"And what happens to those who don't?"

"They get weeded out as children." Saruhiko shifted in the saddle. "Let's go. We have quite a bit to do."

Yata remained silent for the rest of their trip into the town. He'd ask Saruhiko more questions later if he wanted to. His master seemed to carry with him the bitterness of a man far older than he, but Yata supposed it was part of being forced to live on the streets.

They arrived at a tailor's shop located right in the heart of the bustling town. Saruhiko tied Ryuu's reins securely before helping Yata off. Saruhiko unfastened one of the saddlebags and brought it into the shop with them. Once they had the undivided attention of the tailor, Saruhiko asked that Yata be measured for a winter coat. Saruhiko's old clothes were to be altered so that they would actually fit Yata instead of hanging off his frame. Yata diverted his attention from watching Saruhiko stare blankly out the window to the tailor who was measuring the length of his arm. Idly, he wondered what it would be like to have new clothes. He'd been enslaved since he was a child and had nothing but rags.

A visit to the apothecary followed where a woman examined the scratches and bruises Yata had accumulated over the months. Yata whimpered softly when she pressed against one of the more recent bruises on his back. He felt the cooling sensation of herbs against his back and relaxed. He looked up from where he was sitting to see Saruhiko looking at him. He'd love to ask what was on his mind but he bit his tongue. He didn't know what the attitude of these people towards his kind was. The last place he had been sold in was harsh and hostile. So far, here, he was accepted, getting minimal stares at his tail. Perhaps it was his master's high status that saved him from abuse. Wearing the uniform of the Royal Guard must come with some perks. The door swung open and a man carrying a large sack walked in.

"Put that over there." The woman jerked her head at a corner of the room, still gently rubbing the cooling salve into Yata's back.

"I see your love for red beans has not diminished in the least, Awashima." Saruhiko raised an eyebrow. Yata noted that he looked slightly sickened. And he wondered why until he saw the large bowl of anko on a table at the far side of the room.

"Indeed it hasn't. Izumo is kind enough to get someone to send me plenty every month." Awashima stood to retrieve some bandages.

They soon left the apothecary with bandages and a small pot of salve. Saruhiko packed them into the saddlebags before leading Yata to a nearby bakery where he bought a small meat pie for Yata. When he didn't buy more, Yata looked at him quizzically, tilting his head.

"I don't get hungry fast, so I don't eat very much or very often."

Well, that explained Saruhiko's lanky figure. If he wasn't wearing the blue uniform of the Guard, Yata would assume that Saruhiko wasn't strong enough to put up a fight. Once he was done eating, Saruhiko led him around the town, pointing out various shops and stopping at some to order deliveries of candles, quills and parchment.

The sun hung low in the sky as they made their way back to the apothecary where Ryuu was tied. They mounted him and began the ride home. They had to move slowly through the crowds of people and Yata could feel Saruhiko's palpable irritation. No wonder he preferred the back roads and forest trails. They soon escaped the stifling crowds and Yata felt Saruhiko relax. Riding through the Lords' sector of the town gave Yata a completely different view of the place. Saruhiko pointed out several of the more influential Houses and their coats of arms. Yata's ears pricked up slightly when House Awashima was pointed out.

"Awashima, like the healer at the apothecary?" Yata turned his head to look at Saruhiko.

"Yes. That was actually Lady Awashima Seri. As a lady of the court, she comes off as cold sometimes. But when she lets her hair down and wears peasant clothes, you get to see a different side of her." Saruhiko paused to snort lightly. "Lord Awashima hopes to match-make her with Reisi since she does spend a considerable time in court with him. They don't know she's actually after Izumo."

It was nightfall by the time Ryuu was back in his stable and Yata was helping Saruhiko light a fire.

"Do you have any powers, being a kitsune?" Saruhiko asked. "It sure would be useful if you could just light this fire without us having to use the flint."

Yata nodded and a second later, a fire was roaring in the fireplace, casting a warm glow around Saruhiko's living room. Saruhiko sat down in an armchair and motioned for Yata to sit in one facing him. The flickering light of the fire threw Saruhiko's features into sharp relief. Yata himself was bathed in a red glow that accentuated the russet of his ears and tail.

"So, Yata, tell me about your past. You've been sold to others before me, right?"

"Yes. You're the third master I've had."

"I'm assuming your previous masters treated you poorly. You can't have inflicted those wounds on yourself. From what I know of kitsune, you would have more pride than that."

"Yes. I used to get hit for every mistake I made. You're the first person to even show kindness to me since I was taken by that slaver. The last time I saw my family, I was only five."

"How old are you?"

"I was born in summer. Last summer was my nineteenth."

"So you're older than me?" a hint of surprise entered Saruhiko's tone. "You look at least a few years younger than me!"

"Well, kitsune do tend to look younger than they really are. It's one of our abilities."

"So, apart from lighting fires and looking young, what can you do?" Saruhiko tilted his head in interest.

"Well, we acquire more abilities as we get older. The only other ability I have is being able to revert to fox form, which I prefer not to." At this, Yata let out a small yawn, revealing slightly sharp canines.

"I see you're tired. Why don't you take a bath and go to sleep? I'll apply the salve for you once you've had your bath."

With that, Saruhiko herded Yata into the bath, ignoring his protests. True to his word, when Yata returned to his room, Saruhiko was sitting on his bed in his simple home attire with the pot of salve and bandages.

"Take off your tunic," Saruhiko ordered as he opened the pot.

Yata did as he was told, revealing the array of cuts and bruises on his back.

"Tch, you look like you've been whipped." Saruhiko began rubbing the cooling salve onto Yata's back.

Yata nodded slightly. "I dropped a plate."

Saruhiko remained silent as he smoothed the salve onto the wounds. The fragrance of dock and goldenrod permeated the small room as Yata began to pick them out. He hadn't been able to in the apothecary due to the muddled smells of possibly a hundred kinds of herbs. Saruhiko's hands were gentle as he rubbed circles on Yata's back. Yata relaxed completely and allowed the soothing motion to lull him into a light doze. Soon, he was holding out his arms, half-asleep, for Saruhiko to wind the bandage around his torso and lifting them so that Saruhiko could pull the tunic over his head.

"Boil that other bandage tomorrow morning so that I can use it tomorrow night," Saruhiko whispered into Yata's ear as he pulled the blankets over him.

Yata gave a small noise of assent as sleep took over.

* * *

A/N: I guess being an insomniac who wants to avoid writing a philosophy paper helps with writing chaptered fics. I don't normally write this fast.


	3. Chapter 3

The following days saw Yata and Saruhiko settling down into a sort of routine. Yata would wake early and go to Saruhiko's room to wake him and prepare his clothes during his extra five minutes of sleep. He'd then prepare something for Saruhiko to eat while he took his morning shower and practically force it down Saruhiko's throat if he refused it. Then, it was either saddling Ryuu for Saruhiko to ride out or assisting Saruhiko with whatever he needed. Around lunch, Yata would prepare a light meal and make sure Saruhiko ate something. In his opinion, his master never ate enough.

Sometimes, Saruhiko had Yata run errands for him during the short afternoons. Most of these involved delivering messages within the Lords' sector. The Lords were generally accepting of him and some did praise him for being a good slave to Saruhiko. Yata would just bow and run back home with a letter or message in reply. At night, Yata would light the fire and pull Saruhiko away from paperwork that he had fallen asleep on to have supper. They would then talk before Saruhiko would practically drag Yata to the bath. Then, Saruhiko would rub salve on Yata's healing back before tucking him in.

Yata became more and more boisterous as he got used to his new life. He liked to think that he brought life to the house and brought warmth into Saruhiko's life. Saruhiko was still as cold as ever. Yata had yet to see a spark of warmth enter those azure eyes. Yata's own amber eyes always reflected what he was feeling.

Sometimes though, when Yata watched Saruhiko spar with one of his subordinates, Yata would see a manic glimmer in those eyes as Saruhiko immersed himself in the fight. Saruhiko would begin to grin and that glimmer would appear as he lost himself in battle. Yata sincerely worried for him. If that was the only emotion Saruhiko was capable of showing clearly, Yata wanted to do something to change that.

Winter gave way to spring, the snows melted and the days gradually grew longer. Saruhiko grumbled about his subordinates sneezing their way through work as he himself kept a handkerchief to his nose. Yata smiled at his master's antics as he went about his routine. He'd managed to clean up most of the house and fold all of Saruhiko's clothes by now. He knew that the townspeople said that he was the happiest slave they'd known someone to own as he cheerfully went about his tasks.

Since Saruhiko discovered that he could read and write, he took to using Yata as a scribe whenever he went to the Court. Yata got to see the finery of the Houses and compared them to the simple way he and Saruhiko lived. One would assume that a childhood friend of the King would live in luxury even if he was a commoner. Saruhiko clearly hated the lavish displays of wealth, sometimes looking at the Lords with thinly veiled disgust. The only person from the Houses that he was truly friendly with was Lady Seri. The two would pass quips and remarks about how her father was desperately trying to get her to marry Reisi. Sometimes Reisi would join in as well, making them a rather mismatched but dynamic trio. They all knew about Saruhiko's decision to grant Yata his speech, so when they were in private chambers, they would speak to Yata too.

There was one time when Reisi asked Yata what he was scared of. With a proud light in his eyes, Yata replied that he was not afraid of anything. Seri passed a comment about Saruhiko and Yata being 'like master, like slave'. Yata paused to consider this. The reason for Saruhiko's fearlessness was probably his almost complete lack of emotions in the first place. He shrugged it off as Seri changed the topic.

Summer came and with it came summer storms. Thunder clapped overhead and Saruhiko rolled over in bed. He hated thunderstorms. They woke him up and kept him awake. At least Ryuu would be safe and warm. Saruhiko was thankful for the foresight that had him converting one of the old rooms into a one-horse stable. He sat up in bed as his room door creaked open.

"Fu-Fushimi?" Yata stuck his head around the door, sounding like he was supressing tremors.

Saruhiko opened his mouth to answer as a flash of lightning bleached the colour from the room, reflecting the fear in Yata's wide eyes. Almost as fast as the flash of lightning, Yata had leaped towards the bed and buried his head in the covers in time for the next peal. Saruhiko just stared, stunned for a second.

"Yata, are you scared of storms?"

A small whimper was his only reply as the fearless kitsune crumbled, ears flattened against his head and tail between his legs.

Saruhiko sighed. He patted the bed beside him and called, "Come on up here. You'll feel better under the blankets."

Yata wasted no time in getting under the covers, just in time for the next crash. Saruhiko looked at the quivering lump in his blankets. This must definitely be Yata's worst fear. He'd never seen the kitsune scared before. His eyes softened as he reached out to pat the part of the lump that was Yata's head. He reached under the covers to stroke his ears.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Saruhiko tried to comfort Yata. He must have succeeded to some extent as Yata drew back the covers to reveal his face. His eyes were still wide with fear as rain continued to batter against the windows. Saruhiko continued to stroke his head as he managed to coax Yata into a sitting position beside him. He considered his progress in abating Yata's fears good until there was another flash and Yata collapsed against his chest, gripping onto his tunic tightly. Saruhiko could hear the barely audible whimpers.

He gathered all of Yata into his arms and held him through the next few peals, whispering words of comfort into Yata's ears while stroking his hair. Yata's trembling went gradually from seismic to barely there. He relaxed his grip on Saruhiko's tunic slightly as Saruhiko held him close.

"It's okay, Yata. I'm here," Saruhiko whispered.

"Misaki," Yata whispered.

Saruhiko pulled away slightly so that he could meet Yata's eyes. "What?"

"My name. It's Misaki." Misaki looked down; ears still folded back against his head, but this time in mild embarrassment, not fear.

"Hmm… Misaki." Saruhiko tested the name. "It suits you, Misaki."

Misaki was thankful for the dark as his cheeks flushed. He leaned his head against Saruhiko's chest as the storm continued to rage outside. Saruhiko held him close once more and he buried his face in Misaki's hair.

"Fushimi…" Misaki whispered.

"Saruhiko. Call me by my given name."

"Saruhiko," Misaki murmured.

They soon sought warmth under the thick blankets, Saruhiko still holding Misaki close. They fell asleep like that, Misaki curled up against Saruhiko's chest and Saruhiko's arms wrapped around Misaki.

The next morning, Saruhiko awoke first, blinking as he began to make sense of the jumbled hazy mess he could see without his glasses. He had trouble placing the russet mass on his chest at first; then he remembered holding Misaki in his arms. He felt a strange warmth and dismissed it as merely Misaki's body heat. He smiled as he carded his fingers through Misaki's hair and began to stroke his head.

Misaki's response was to burrow further into Saruhiko's tunic. A second later, his eyes fluttered open as he shook off sleep. As soon as he realised where he was, he suddenly sat up, jerking himself out of Saruhiko's arms, cheeks turning a dusky pink.

Saruhiko chuckled and pulled Misaki back down. Wrapping one arm around him, Saruhiko ruffled Misaki's hair and scratched behind his ears. Misaki let out a contented sigh and allowed his body to go limp. A light drizzle was still falling, making soft sounds against the window panes.

"Let's just spend the morning in bed for once," suggested Saruhiko, already enjoying the thought of not having to get out of bed.

Misaki just hummed in response, brushing his tail against Saruhiko's legs. Sleep was already winding him in its tendrils and tugging him lightly back to the land of dreams.


	4. Chapter 4

The warm afternoon saw them relaxing under a tree. Saruhiko had decided that since they had started the day in such a lazy manner, they should continue it in that way. Frankly, he was still drowsy and all he wanted to do was to keep holding Misaki's warmth close to him. It was comforting in a way he'd never felt before.

As Misaki rambled on about his short life before he was enslaved, Saruhiko considered his relationship with the kitsune. It had easily been half a year since they'd started to live under the same roof. And during that half a year, he'd felt the ice he perennially kept around his heart begin to melt.

It wasn't that Misaki was extremely affectionate. In fact, it was the complete opposite. A corner of Saruhiko's mouth quirks up as he remembers the time Misaki all but dragged him out of bed and into the bath, berating him and threatening him with starvation. So, no, it wasn't Misaki being overly affectionate.

It wasn't that Misaki tried to win his affections either. It was more of him watching from the side-lines, quietly observing his Master, occasionally passing comments. Sure, he got the occasional look of concern hidden behind the naturally slightly prickly exterior of the kitsune and while he himself bottled up his emotions, the flashes in Misaki's amber eyes were hardly lost on him. And he did find himself unconsciously changing his habits, as if he wanted to stop that concerned or hurt look from appearing in Misaki's eyes. Those eyes should always be filled with the warmth of a midsummer's day and never have to reflect hurt or pain.

He felt Misaki leaning into him and he took the kitsune into his arms, allowing him to rest his head against his chest. He's struck by a thought.

"Misaki, you were born in summer right? Your birthday must be coming soon."

Misaki raised his head to answer. "Not that soon. I was born in late summer. That would make it the twentieth of next month."

Saruhiko hummed as he pet Misaki's head. They could stay like this for a little longer. It was almost sunset before Misaki declared that it was time for dinner and dragged Saruhiko back to the house.

Saruhiko had become so used to Misaki waking him up that he rarely got out of bed before he was dragged out. This was one of those mornings. He assumed that he'd woken up unusually early and he'd be pummelled with a pillow sooner or later. He was proven wrong when his stomach growled for food and he opened his eyes to see sunlight streaming in the windows. It had to be close to noon.

Overcome by concern, he rushed to Misaki's room to discover him curled up in blankets, occasionally emitting a whimper.

"Misaki! Are you okay?" Saruhiko pulled the blanket back to expose Misaki's face. He could feel heat emanating from him even before touching his skin.

"Misaki, you're burning up."

"Tell me something I don't know," Misaki gritted out. "Saruhiko… make it stop… it hurts," he whined. His ears were flat against his head as he turned watery amber eyes onto Saruhiko.

Saruhiko pulled him into a hug, stroking his head. "Shh, you'll be fine. I'm here for you. I'll bring you to my room and you can sleep there, okay?"

At a slight nod from Misaki, he gently removed the blanket before picking him up. Misaki wrapped his arms around his neck and leaned his forehead against him. For a moment, he seemed so small and frail and Saruhiko's protective side kicked in as he carried him to his room.

He tucked him in and went to pick out a small towel from his cupboard before going to fetch a small bowl to fill with cold water. He dabbed at Misaki's forehead, hoping to bring the temperature down even a little. He fervently prayed that Misaki would get better. He'd become rather attached to the kitsune, more than he'd like to admit.

As soon as Misaki had fallen into a restless sleep, Saruhiko slipped down to the kitchen to prepare some broth. From experience, he knew that a sick person wouldn't be able to keep down much more. He recalled his own bouts of fever from when he was still a child and waking up intermittently to Reisi and Seri taking it in turns to feed him warm broth and gruel.

He brought the broth back to his room and gently woke Misaki up to pile more pillows behind him to support his back as he sat up. Misaki was unusually subdued as he opened his mouth for every spoonful of broth, his eyes glazed over with pain. After he'd gotten through half the bowl, it was Saruhiko's turn to force Misaki to finish his food. Once Misaki had every last drop of broth, Saruhiko set the bowl down on his writing desk and slowly lowered Misaki back to lying on his back before mopping his forehead with the towel again.

He sent out a messenger pigeon to Reisi with a short note telling him that he wouldn't be in the court for the next few days as he tended to Misaki before grabbing a book to read. He didn't want to be far from Misaki so that he could watch over him.

He was barely under the covers before Misaki was snuggling up to his lap, occasionally whimpering. Saruhiko lowered one hand to rest on Misaki's head protectively. He felt so helpless, being unable to help Misaki and abate his pain. He wished that he could be the one to bear the fever instead of Misaki. Misaki should be happy and cheerful, not whimpering as pain wracked his small body.

Saruhiko has never shown he cares this much about anyone before. While he does cherish his relationships with Reisi and Seri, having been raised alongside them, he has never allowed his frozen heart to melt. Beyond caring about them as the closest he has to family, he never showed any emotion. His stoicism when Reisi's father died was proof of that. While he'd been the one to comfort Reisi and let him cry on his shoulder, his emotionless mask stayed intact. He was the voice of reason steadying the new King through his grief. Emotions were weak, and Saruhiko could not be weak when he needed to be the strength supporting those he cared about.

Yet, he'd been proven wrong by the young kitsune next to him. Misaki had come into his life bursting at the seams with emotions. Somehow, Saruhiko had learnt to allow himself moments of weakness and simply let his emotions go. He'd held Misaki through storms and allowed himself to show care and concern. Misaki had supported him with his emotions, and in a way, he'd set Saruhiko free. The mask Saruhiko wore was slipping, and he was close to abandoning it altogether. The warmth that the kitsune brought to his life was something he'd never experienced before and he wanted it. He wanted it so badly.

It was evening when he woke Misaki up for a bath. The kitsune was still too weak to stand, so Saruhiko carried him to the bath before stripping him and helping him wash. He could only assume the cool water was as soothing to Misaki as it usually was to him and he hoped that if nothing else, this would help break Misaki's fever. He dried Misaki and dressed him in clean clothes before carrying him back to bed. He warmed up some broth and fed Misaki again. His eyes were slightly clearer this time and Saruhiko hoped that this was a good sign.

Once Misaki was dozing again, Saruhiko washed up and had his own bath before boiling water to brew a herbal tea for Misaki. He threw in some feverfew, thyme and lavender he had in his store, praying that he remembered Seri's instructions correctly.

He slipped under the covers to give Misaki his tea. Misaki accepted it gratefully, nursing the brew as Saruhiko held him close. Saruhiko set the mug on the floor near the leg of his bed where he was sure he wouldn't step on it in the morning. Before he could lie down, Misaki pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you," was muffled into his chest as Misaki rested his burning forehead there.

Saruhiko nuzzled his head in reply. This was the most he'd allow himself to admit his affection for Misaki. He'd come to cherish his presence and maybe, just maybe, he liked Misaki far more than he would admit to himself.

The next day saw them in pretty much the same routine. Saruhiko fed Misaki warm broth and wiped his forehead with a cool towel. That night, however, was when things took a turn. When Saruhiko climbed into bed, he was slammed onto his back with Misaki straddling him. Slightly alarmed, he noted the feral light in his eyes.

"Misaki, wha–"

"I need you," Misaki cut him off.

Saruhiko assessed the situation. _Wait. Oh._ "Misaki, you're in heat, aren't you?"

That would definitely explain the fever. Belatedly, Saruhiko remembered the kitsune lore he'd heard when with Reisi when he was younger. Kitsune typically reached maturity at twenty and their first heat would usually be preceded by an extreme bout of fever, just like the soaring temperatures Misaki faced the previous day.

A flush crept into Misaki's cheeks as he nodded. He looked away, embarrassed even as he moved his hips slightly to a sharp intake of breath from Saruhiko.

Saruhiko would be lying if he said he didn't want Misaki. Desire mounting, he flipped their positions as Misaki squirmed beneath him.

"Saruhiko, I need you," he whimpered. "_Now._"

That night, Saruhiko gave Misaki everything, and he took everything in return. Misaki was above him, under him, surrounding him with fox-fire. He drank in everything, Misaki's scent, his soft moans and sharp cries, memorising the feel of the smaller body. Primal instinct ruled that night before they curled together, exhausted.

A thought suddenly crossed Saruhiko's mind and he pressed a kiss to Misaki's head. "Happy Birthday, Misaki."

Misaki hummed in response and curled his tail around Saruhiko. They slept like that, limbs so tangled with one another that no one could tell where human ended and kitsune began. And just like that, they were one.

* * *

A/N: Prompt for Saruhiko taking care of Misaki when he has a fever from Sque-Fangirl and prompt for heat from TILAgal.

Updates for this, Revolve and new stories may not be so frequent any more. My college term starts again next week and as much as I hate starting the new year with a backlog of work, I have more assignments than time to finish them. OTL (may the teachers have mercy on my soul)

Oh, and do leave a review. I don't bite even if my zodiac animal is a dog.


	5. Chapter 5

"Misaki, have you finished packing yet?" Saruhiko called from his cupboard where he was digging out a few more shirts.

"I'm almost done!" Misaki called back.

It was time for the yearly inspection of the harvest of the surrounding villages and it was Saruhiko's turn to carry out the inspection this year. He didn't want to leave Misaki alone at home for the few weeks he'd be gone, so he would be going along too.

He was packing the last tunic neatly when a pair of arms wound themselves around his waist and he felt a slight weight on his head.

"Hey, if you're done then go saddle the horses first. I'll be out in a while."

Misaki felt a huff of warm breath as Saruhiko laughed. "You're not going to fall off Tsubaki this time, are you?"

"For the last time, that was the first time I rode without you behind me and I freaked out. I didn't know she was going to turn and throw me off." Misaki scowled and playfully lashed at Saruhiko's legs with his tail.

Misaki remembered waking up on his birthday tangled up with Saruhiko. After they ate the simple breakfast that Saruhiko prepared, he was blindfolded and led out to the small field near the house and told to wait for a few minutes. When Saruhiko came back, he asked Misaki to reach out in front of him. At first, he'd been perplexed to feel something warm with short bristly hair. Saruhiko chuckled and placed his hand over his, asking him to guess what it was. When Misaki shook his head, indicating that he'd given up guessing, Saruhiko laughed and removed the blindfold to reveal a cream mare.

"I thought if you had your own horse, I'd be able to teach you how to ride and I could bring you with me if I had to go away for a few days. And, well, you seem to be okay with Ryuu so I thought you wouldn't have any objections to having a horse."

Misaki reached out to stroke her muzzle, but she beat him to it, nuzzling his hair and ears. He nearly shied away in panic, but he managed to stop himself and reached out to stroke her neck instead. Saruhiko smiled when he named her Tsubaki.

"Of course you'd name her after a flower, wouldn't you, my beautiful blossom?" Saruhiko teased.

"Shut up." Misaki growled back half-heartedly.

Saruhiko had gradually taught him how to ride and he was glad that she wasn't quite as large as Ryuu. More than once, they had gone out riding on a whim, Saruhiko being glad to just drop his work for a ride through the forest.

And now, they were going to travel the countryside for a month, checking up on the villages. Misaki shooed Saruhiko out of his room. He used it for little more than storage space for his clothes now that he slept in Saruhiko's bed. Looking back, things had changed drastically since he first came to live with Saruhiko.

He made his way to the small built-in stable which would be expanded while they were away to make it less cramped for Ryuu and Tsubaki. Saruhiko was saddling Ryuu and loading on the saddlebags. This time, it was Misaki who embraced Saruhiko from the back. Saruhiko turned around in Misaki's grasp to hug him back and nuzzle his head.

"Go saddle Tsubaki. I'll bring Ryuu out first so that you have space."

Misaki nodded. He turned to reach out for her saddle. He was glad to have such a sweet-tempered mare for his own. It wasn't to say that Ryuu was ill-tempered. He was more mischievous than Tsubaki and tended to act in a way that reminded Misaki of his master.

Soon, he led Tsubaki out to join Saruhiko. It was early evening and they would be riding to the nearest village to arrive slightly after nightfall. Saruhiko was silhouetted against the sky and something inside his head just clicked and he realised how much he'd fallen for Saruhiko since the beginning. He didn't know if Saruhiko felt the same way, but even if he didn't, he'd thawed out and Misaki was glad for that. His azure eyes finally reflected the warmth the colour suggested.

He called out to Saruhiko as he mounted Tsubaki and they rode off to the gates to meet Reisi before they left.

"You're not going to complain about me missing your birthday this year, are you?" Saruhiko joked as he dismounted.

"I wasn't going to until you reminded me. It'll be different without you this year."

"What, you mean I was that significant in the celebrations? I thought all I was good for was stopping you from getting drunk."

"Why, you impudent thing. I can't believe I let you live with me all those years!"

"Well, your father did take me in and told you to treat me like I was your younger brother." Saruhiko moved to hug Reisi. "And you _are_ the brother I never had."

Reisi returned the hug. "Stay safe, Saruhiko," he whispered. "And you too, Misaki." He looked up at Misaki. "Keep each other safe. I don't want to lose the people I've come to consider my family."

With that, Saruhiko remounted Ryuu and calling goodbyes, they rode off towards the village.

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long to update this. There was just a lot going on and I lost sight of this story for a while. I've got my plot ideas back though, it's just going to take a while for me to piece them together bit by bit. I'l try to be a bit more regular, but no promises. My end of term tests are coming round and I'll have to study for those. Oh joy.

In case anyone is wondering, Misaki (美咲) literally means beautiful blossom and Tsubaki (椿) means camellia. That's why Saruhiko teases Misaki about naming his horse after a flower.

And about that last bit, when I'm not in Reisaru mode, they're kind of my brotp. I have absolutely no idea why. And since Saruhiko is practically Reisi's family, Misaki is Reisi's family by extension since he and Saruhiko are very close. I don't even know if I'm making sense anymore.

Oh and one last thing. If there are any Psycho-Pass fans out there, I might be posting up some angsty drabbles soon. There are just too many deaths for me to contain my feels and not enough fics out there.


	6. Chapter 6

They arrived at the village an hour or two after nightfall and rode to an inn near the centre of the village. They dismounted and took the saddlebags before handing the reins to a waiting stable boy. The innkeeper's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Misaki.

"This is my servant. You have nothing to fear from him," Saruhiko said in reassurance.

The innkeeper nodded and showed them to the room that had been prepared. Misaki noted that there was only one bed.

"Well, I guess they thought that a servant would sleep on the floor," Saruhiko muttered, obviously displeased. "They're just too insular. Another reason I hate travelling around."

"Any reasons you might have for liking travelling?" Misaki asked as he pulled out a loose tunic for sleeping.

Saruhiko smiled. "Just a few. I have something I want to show you on the way to the next village."

"Any chance you'll tell me before then?"

"Not a snowflake's chance in hell," Saruhiko laughed as he took out his own sleepwear and headed to the bath.

Misaki scratched behind one of his ears contemplating their relationship. They'd started out as true master and slave and they'd progressed to something where the boundaries were becoming increasingly blurred. For one, he was no longer a slave, but rather a servant and it had become known in the town that he was now allowed to speak. Saruhiko himself had begun treating him as more of an equal rather than a subordinate. He wondered if the boundaries even still existed.

And then there was the matter of his own feelings. He'd come to see Saruhiko as more than the cherished friend and master he'd seen him as at first. He wanted to give warmth to Saruhiko's life and he'd succeeded. But he no longer knew where he stood. If one could be lost in a relationship, he definitely was. And even if his feelings were returned, what future was there for a relationship between a kitsune and a human. With his long lifespan, he'd end up watching everyone around him age and eventually die. He sighed. There was no easy solution, it seemed.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Saruhiko. He jerked his head towards the bath, indicating that it was free, scattering water droplets that caught and refracted the light from the candles in the room.

When he came out of the bath, Saruhiko was already in bed. He patted the small space next to him.

"Here, you don't have to sleep on the floor."

Misaki slipped in beside Saruhiko and felt strong arms being wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. He brought a hand to rest on one of Saruhiko's, just being comforted by the warmth of Saruhiko's breath against his neck and his chest against his back.

"Hey, Saruhiko, what are we? Like what am I to you?" Misaki whispered.

Saruhiko took a moment to answer. "You're my family. You're the one who's always there; the one I can always lean on if I need to. I guess you've become the constant in my life and I'd feel a gaping hole if you weren't there anymore. You mean more to me than so many other things now. I don't know what I'd do without you."

He pulled Misaki closer and whispered, "Misaki, don't ever leave me."

"I won't," Misaki whispered back, lacing his fingers together with Saruhiko's.

Long after Saruhiko's breaths had evened out, Misaki lay awake. He'd throw everything away just to stay with Saruhiko. He didn't know why, but in that moment, he just felt like crying.

The next morning, he was woken up by Saruhiko shaking him awake.

"Hey, I have to attend to something first. Why don't you check on the horses and meet me at the village square so I can bring you on the inspection rounds?"

Misaki nodded. It would definitely give him some time to think. He dressed and made his way to the stables.

"I just don't know what to do," he whispered to Tsubaki. "I mean, I like him. I like him a lot. But I don't even know if he really thinks of me the same way."

Tsubaki harrumphed at him and he replied, "Yeah, I wish you could talk. Then maybe I could ask you or Ryuu what I should do."

At the mention of his name, Ryuu turned his head towards Misaki and lipped at his ear. Misaki twitched it away just in time.

"Ryuu, I've told you a million times, my ear is not a sugar cube or a carrot or anything edible. I swear you're just as stubborn as your master and I just hope Tsubaki doesn't ever pick this up from you."

As if to prove him wrong, Tsubaki nipped the tip of his other ear.

"Oh, the two of you are hopeless!" Misaki stroked Tsubaki's muzzle as Ryuu snorted.

Just then, the stable door flew open and Misaki was tackled to the ground.

"Just what do you think you're doing with the Captain's horses, you filthy demon? Bewitching them? I'll bring you to the village square for a public whipping. Oh, the Captain will be so pleased that we managed to stop filth from bringing harm to him. We'll surely perform well on the inspection this year!"

Misaki saw the fist coming to strike him and then nothing.

* * *

A/N: Relatively short chapter that I wrote during my study breaks while I was studying for mid-semester exams. There'll be a longer bit up as soon as I finish it!


	7. Chapter 7

Saruhiko tapped his fingers against the hilt of his rapier. Misaki should be here by now, he was never late. He expected Misaki to burst out of someplace unexpected any moment, flustered and frantically apologising.

This lateness in itself was extremely surprising without it being out of Misaki's comfort zone. Misaki had never really appeared truly comfortable when he was not with Saruhiko.

He turned his head at a loud shout from the opposite side of the square where there was a small stage.

"Come all to witness the flogging of a demon caught bewitching the Captain's horses!"

Saruhiko drew in a quick breath. Surely it wouldn't be Misaki they were talking about. It couldn't be. His blood boiled at the thought of what he would do it it was Misaki.

He approached the growing crowd and heard the unmistakable crack of a whip followed by a scream of pain. He knew that voice. He slipped a knife from a hidden slit in his sleeve. The crowd naturally parted around him as if they could sense his anger and wanted to get away from it. From this distance he could hear the jeers and catcalls and they only served to fuel his anger.

He pulled back his hand, aimed and threw the knife in a perfect trajectory. It caught the sleeve of the village guard as he raised the whip once more, pinning it to a post and immobilising the guard.

The resulting silence was deafening. Everyone turned to trace the origin of the knife and was met with a fuming Captain. The sound of gravel beneath his boots seemed to echo around the square as he walked towards the guard. Drawing another knife, he held its blade to the guard's throat.

"How dare you," he spat. "How dare you capture my servant and humiliate him in this way? He has done nothing to prove himself malicious in all the service he has given me and he definitely would not have done anything to harm any of you."

"But- but I-" the guard protested but he was cut off by a slight increase of the pressure of the blade against his throat.

"Silence, filth," he snapped. "You are not worthy of my presence. Be glad that I will spare your life."

Saruhiko viciously pulled the knife out of the man's sleeve, still holding his other blade to his throat. "Kneel," he ordered, pocketing his knives.

He picked up the discarded whip and raised it, ready to strike, cruel gleam in his eyes.

"Saruhiko, no!" There was a soft cry and a tug at the hem of his trousers and Saruhiko looked down into watery amber eyes.

Saruhiko knelt down, dropping the whip. "He would have killed you, Misaki. These people have no mercy."

Misaki shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I don't want you to do this. Just because others are cruel, it doesn't mean you should be cruel too."

Saruhiko nodded. He turned to the guard. "Get out of my sight," he spat.

He stood. "As for the rest of you, I will not be inspecting this village and I will take my leave before nightfall. Let this be a lesson to all of you not to judge a book by its cover."

As the crowd dissipated, Saruhiko knelt down again. "How did you manage to crawl up to me with that huge gash in your back? It's still bleeding!"

Misaki smiled weakly as Saruhiko started stroking his head. "I had to stop you. I didn't want you to sink to their level. You're better than that."

"Still as reckless as ever. I'm going to carry you back to the inn so that I can patch you up before we leave. You'll ride with me and Tsubaki can take the saddlebags. You're going to have to put your arms around my neck. I don't want to put too much pressure on your back."

Misaki did as he was told and Saruhiko hooked an arm beneath his knees. He hooked his other arm just above where the gash started. Misaki's ears were flat against his head and he had his eyes screwed shut as Saruhiko lifted him. Saruhiko carried him back in silence.

When they got back to their room, Saruhiko sat Misaki down on the bed. He fetched a bucket of cool water and a cloth before pulling out a knife to cut away the bloodstained tunic he was wearing. He dabbed gently at the crusted blood around the wound and Misaki barely restrained a cry of pain. He bandaged his torso as well as he could and handed Misaki a clean tunic.

"Stay here for a while. I'll fetch us some food. We'll leave in the afternoon."

He returned a while later with some bread, meat and a pitcher of water. Misaki accepted his portion gratefully. When they were done, Saruhiko set the cutlery aside and pulled Misaki into a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," he whispered. "I shouldn't have let you out of my sight. I've failed you as a master. I couldn't even protect you."

Misaki leaned into Saruhiko. "You haven't failed me, Saruhiko. You stepped in and saved me. And you let that man go. You have no idea how much that actually says about you. You care about me enough to actually listen to me."

Saruhiko nuzzled Misaki's head, barely resisting the urge to just hold him tight. He cared, he cared so much. Since Misaki had come into his life, he'd had these feelings and he didn't know what to do with them. He just knew that he wanted, no, needed Misaki around. Right now, he was just a tangled mess and he didn't know half of how to untangle himself.

They napped tangled up in each other until it was late afternoon. Saruhiko gently stroked Misaki's head until he stirred.

"Hey, it's time to go," he murmured.

They left the village soon enough. Saruhiko soon steered them off the usual trails. It had been a while since he'd gone this way and he hoped that their destination would be inhabitable for the night. It had also been a while since he'd had Misaki in the saddle with him. He recalled the first time they rode together and how stiff Misaki had been. Comparing that to the ease with which Misaki leaned against him now, that memory seemed so distant. And somehow, it made him think about exactly how much had changed.

They dismounted in front of a small hillock. Saruhiko searched for the old hook he knew was nearby to tie the horses to. He smiled as he saw Misaki just looking around for any sign of what he was supposed to see, ears flicking back and forth as if to pick up any additional hints.

"This is what Reisi and I found when we were children. We'd run off from his father for a day and we were fooling around when a storm came. We had to find shelter and we found this," Saruhiko explained as he guided Misaki towards what looked like a small entrance into the hillock. "It's a slight drop, so I'll go down first and catch you."

Saruhiko slid through the entrance and straightened up before calling for Misaki to follow suit. Misaki's descent was clumsier than his, but then again, he'd never really learned how to fall through the entrance gracefully until Reisi refused to catch him one day.

"It's like an underground cave. Reisi and I used it as a base when we went on hunting trips. We've stocked the place up quite well over the years, so it should be quite comfortable."

Misaki's eyes were still wide with wonder. "How did you find this in the first place?"

"I fell down the entrance and Reisi had to come in and get me. Hey, do you mind helping me light a fire? It's going to get too dark to see anything soon."

Misaki nodded and they soon had a roaring fire in the makeshift fireplace that Saruhiko and Reisi had fashioned over the years. Saruhiko fetched their saddlebags, telling Misaki to sit on the bed while waiting. He brought out some food and they had a small meal at the small table that he and Reisi had made out of the trunk of a fallen tree. Saruhiko tried to hide the fact that he was watching Misaki intently, trying to decipher his feelings about him.

What drew him to Misaki? He didn't know for sure. It was probably everything about him. Misaki was lively and he broke the usual monotonous routine that he lived in. His smiles and bright amber eyes broke down Saruhiko's walls and he learned what it felt like to care so much for someone he didn't consider part of his family at first.

Was that warmth he felt when he looked at Misaki love? He didn't know. He cared for Misaki, but in a very different way from how he cared about Reisi. Maybe, then, this was love? But did Misaki care for him in the same way? For all he knew, Misaki could just take their relationship to be that of master and a favoured servant.

"Hey, Saruhiko. Saruhiko? Oi Saruhiko!"

Saruhiko jerked out of his reverie to see Misaki waving a hand in front of his face.

"Sorry, there's just a lot on my mind right now. And I don't know half of how to sort all this out."

The next thing he knew, Misaki had embraced him and was holding his head to his chest.

"You know you can tell me about anything, right?" he murmured, stroking Saruhiko's head. "It's my job to listen to you."

Saruhiko hummed in reply. "Let's move to the bed? It's more comfortable there."

They lay down on the bed, Misaki curling up to Saruhiko almost instinctively now. Saruhiko scratched behind Misaki's ears, listening to the pleased hum from Misaki.

"Misaki, you're so cute," he whispered.

Misaki stilled for a moment. "Do you know how 'cute' is written?" Without waiting for a response, he continued. "It's written as 'must love'."

"Well, I must love you then," Saruhiko murmured, tilting Misaki's head up.

They looked into each other's eyes for a while, Misaki's slightly wide at the confession. He brought a hand to stroke Saruhiko's cheek, whispering a responding 'I love you too, you idiot'.

Saruhiko tentatively pressed his lips to Misaki's, hoping that he wouldn't be pushed was mildly surprised when Misaki pulled him closer and deepened the kiss. They broke apart only when they absolutely needed air, panting. Saruhiko leaned his forehead against Misaki's.

"Hey, what did you want to talk about?" Misaki asked softly once he'd caught his breath.

"Nothing. You just sorted everything out for me." Saruhiko smiled and held him close.

* * *

A/N: For those who are wondering, cute in Japanese is written as '可爱' where '可' means 'can' or 'must' and '爱' means 'love'.

I feel as if I'm failing all my readers because I can't update as often as I'd like to and the quality of my writing is dropping horrifically. I'm really sorry if there are any of you out there who feel like I've failed as a writer.


	8. Chapter 8

Life after the inspections went back to normal. The weather grew colder as autumn set in. Nights were spent by the fireplace curled up around each other. Saruhiko had developed a fondness for running his fingers through Misaki's hair as they talked. Misaki smelled like the warmth of a summer's day and Saruhiko couldn't get enough of it. His kisses tasted of honey and Saruhiko thinks he's found his addiction.

He can't stop thinking about the deeper implications of their relationship though. Every time Misaki's tail brushes against him, he remembers that they're different. With every kiss, he wonders if this is even possible. He couldn't live a thousand years like Misaki could and he didn't want to trap Misaki for the rest of his life.

Sometimes, he catches Misaki gazing out into the forest as if he were longing for something he'd lost. Saruhiko knows that he's the reason Misaki can't leave. After all, he does have complete authority and control over Misaki. Sometimes when Misaki's asleep beside him, he calls up the glowing ball which represents his control into his palm and just stares at it. He takes glances at Misaki's face and how peaceful it is and wonders how to let him go.

He has to. If Misaki is to stay by his side, Saruhiko wants it to be by his own choice, and not because he literally holds Misaki's life in his hands.

As it happens, Saruhiko's birthday falls on a full moon night. There was the usual banter between them as Saruhiko led Misaki to a quiet clearing in the forest. He leaned in for a soft kiss, preparing himself.

"Hold out your hands," he said to Misaki, trembling slightly.

"Saruhiko, it's your birthday. I'm supposed to be the one who says that to you."

"Just do it." He didn't want to have time to overthink this and back out.

He called up the glowing ball and placed it in Misaki's hands, folding his fingers over it. He didn't look at Misaki's face as he spoke. "I release you from your bond to me. You may take your leave as you see fit."

"Saruhiko… Why?" There was a slight note of panic in Misaki's voice as he grabbed Saruhiko's hand. "Why are you doing this?"

"Look at us, Misaki. I'm a human and you're a kitsune. Things won't work out between us. I'll die before you're even old. And I can't keep you bound to me forever. What if you realise that it isn't me you want after all? What if you wake up one day and realise that this is all a mistake? What if you don't love me anymore? I love you but I don't want to be the one who traps you." He pulled his hand away from Misaki.

Misaki's eyes widened. "Saruhiko you fool," he murmured as he reached out to pull Saruhiko into an embrace. "I would give up everything just to stay with you. I love you, and I always will."

Saruhiko cut him off. "Then what happens when I die? You can't pine after me forever."

Misaki sighed and pulled him closer. "When a kitsune chooses a mate, they tie their entire life to that of their mate. When their mate dies, they die long after." He pauses, chewing on his lip. "When you die, I will lay my head down beside you. It's the only thing that can happen since I've already chosen you," he whispered.

His breath hitched as he held Misaki close. "I guess I'll have to live as long as possible then," he whispered back. "Don't leave me."

"Not as long as we live," Misaki replied as he pulled Saruhiko down for a kiss.

As they held each other, the first snows fell lightly around their shoulders.

* * *

Epilogue

As the years passed, Saruhiko and Misaki continued to live together on the edge of the Lord's Sector. Since Saruhiko had relinquished his control over Misaki, they lived as equals. Their routine didn't change much in the first few years of their relationship.

One summer, Misaki decided to try and look for his family. It had been almost twenty years since he had been separated from them and with Saruhiko's support, he left their home in search of his parents and siblings. He returned successfully in mid-autumn.

That same winter, Saruhiko and Misaki took in a young kitsune girl whose parents had accidentally been killed in a trap meant for ordinary foxes who had been stealing food from a farm. Their lives became busier as they made room for Miyuki and they both doted on her to no end.

They still wake next to each other every morning and they still love each other unconditionally. As Saruhiko likes to say, they'll love each other until the end of forever.

Fin.

* * *

A/N: I'd just like to thank everyone for their support. With the end of this fic also comes the end of me posting here and writing for a while. I'll be taking a hiatus until the end of the year to focus on my exams. Do check out my writing blog on Tumblr which is swiftasarrows for shorter updates and other drabbles.


End file.
